Quiet American, The (2002)

Drama Rated R

This adaptation of Graham Greene’s novel about a British journalist in 1952 Vietnam can’t quite shake its source material. Chunks of the book are borrowed for voice-over narration, mostly out of narrative necessity rather than as part of some grand thematic plan. On the plus side are strong turns by the Oscar-nominated Michael Caine as

Bubble Boy (2001)

Comedy Rated PG-13

An exercise in absurd silliness, Bubble Boy follows a young man with an immunodeficiency disorder traveling across the country to stop the wedding of his one true love. Some people – most of whom hadn’t seen the movie – protested that Bubble Boy makes fun of such a disease. But if you’re in the mood

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

Drama Rated R

“…a moody meditation on the dark side of celebrity status.”

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

Action/Adventure Rated PG-13

“…a lyrical poem about adolescence, friendship and unrequited love.”

Saved! (2004)

Comedy Rated PG-13

A statement of faith in the guise of sacrilege, Saved! takes place in a conservative Christian high school and follows a faithful teen named Mary (Jena Malone) who tells us she’s “been born again my whole life.” That’s fine with her, at least until she gets pregnant, her boyfriend tells her he may be gay

Munich (2005)

Drama Rated R

Steven Spielberg seems embarrassed by his talent in this painstakingly restrained dramatization of the Israeli revenge mission that followed the 1972 massacre of 11 Israeli Olympians. Munich has a few arresting elements, including the newsreel cinematography of Janusz Kaminski and an appropriately twitchy lead performance from Eric Bana (Troy), playing an Israeli agent who is

Along Came Polly (2004)

Comedy Rated PG-13

Ben Stiller’s brand of exasperated embarrassment is on display once again as he plays Reuben Feffer, a risk assessor for a huge insurance firm. His methods prove pointless when he meets Polly Prince, one of those movie free spirits that you usually want to lock in a closet. This time, as played by Jennifer Aniston,

Ocean’s Twelve (2004)

Drama Rated PG-13

You get the feeling the cast and crew – including writer-director Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Catherine Zeta-Jones and more – skipped filming a sequel to the 2001 heist hit and decided to go right ahead to the wrap party. Nobody making a high-stakes major-studio release should be having

Amelie (2001)

Romantic Comedy Rated R

Whimsy with a French accent. Audrey Tautou is irresistible as a shy waitress who finds happiness – and eventually love – by performing anonymous acts of kindness (her smile is that of a 5-year-old who just cracked her first joke). Meanwhile, director Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s style – bold colors, impulsive edits, an eye for life’s little

Must Love Dogs (2005)

Romantic Comedy Rated PG-13

This Diane Lane vehicle, in which she plays a divorced woman whose nosy family pushes her into the world of online dating, offers enough doses of real life to elevate it above your average romantic-comedy fantasy. With strong support from John Cusack, Dermot Mulroney and Elizabeth Perkins, this is a pleasant enough romantic-comedy bubble, able